Ford Gum
Mike Martin has extensive experience in sales management, currently serving as the Regional Manager for Eastern USA at Ford Gum since May 2021, after previously holding the position of Eastern Regional Sales Manager. Prior to this role, Mike was the National Sales Manager at Quality Candy, LLC from November 2018 to May 2021. Mike Martin earned a degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette between 1983 and 1988 and attended Holy Cross New Orleans.
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Ford Gum
The story of Ford Gum began in 1913. Ford Mason, a 20-year-old roofing salesman spent spring, summer and early fall traveling by horse and buggy over the winding country roads of western New York State. He was idle during the winter because nobody repaired barn roofs in cold weather. Looking for work that winter, Ford met a man engaged in the business of operating chewing gum vending machines. The first machine had been invented only a few years before, and just a handful of entrepreneurs had ventured into the business. Ford was impressed. He borrowed the money to lease 102 machines and placed them in stores and shops in western New York communities. Ford spent the winter collecting pennies and restocking machines. Ford quit the roofing business and devoted all his energy to selling gum. Today, Ford Gum is a leader in the manufacture and distribution of gum and confectionary products. Ford Gum’s signature brand is Big League Chew®, the iconic shredded bubble gum brand loved by all since 1980. It is the #1 shredded bubble gum brand in the world, with over 800 million pouches sold. We have a modern manufacturing facility located in Akron NY, and offices in the Chicago suburbs.